U.S. Copts Association

By   Wael Ali   

The former chairman of the Democracy Development Group, Naggad el-Baraei, has accused Social Solidarity Minister Ali el-Moselhi of seeking to take over NGOs in Egypt.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday to announce the stance of human rights organizations on the Law 84/2002 on associations - currently being amended by the National Democratic Party (NDP), he said the committee formed by the minister to amend this law is flawed, as most of its members are appointed by and close to the NDP and the government.

He criticized the fact that many influential human rights personalities have not been involved in the formation of the committee.

El-Baraei warned the committee could be used as a cover to pass the law on associations, as he said the government wishes to impose administrative and security restrictions on NGO’s work in Egypt.

He welcomed the declarations of NDP Information Secretary Ali Eddin Helal, who pointed out that the opposition refuses to work with the NDP.

“This is a chance for us to tell the government there is a non-political force in the society - human rights organizations - which would like to talk to the government in order to support development and democratic progress.

The Secretary General of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) Hafez Abou Seada said there is more than one project announced by different organizations.

He said these organizations aim at amending the 2002 law on NGOs, as they think it imposes restrictions on their work.

He said that representatives of these organizations had thrashed out a so-called “joint draft law” expressing human rights organizations’ point of view.

The participants to the press conference, which was held by the EOHR and Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), announced a draft law for associations and NGOs.

They explained it contains 34 articles and aims at finding an alternative to Law 84 of 2002 concerning NGOs and private foundations.